


Funeral

by sakalinte00



Series: Thirty-Prompt: Forest Fire [3]
Category: Magic: The Gathering
Genre: Chandra has issues nobody wants to deal with, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Nissa just kiss the girl ffs, shoutout to the canon story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-24 09:30:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13808388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sakalinte00/pseuds/sakalinte00
Summary: Amonkhet was setting the Gatewatch on edge and Nissa and Chandra deal with life, death, undeath and rebirth.





	Funeral

**Author's Note:**

> So, the prompt is FUNERAL and I just totally butchered this one, but a prompt isn't really a guideline and the very idea of it led to the creation of this fic. I will go down with this ship. 
> 
> Magic the Gathering and everything is owned by Wizards of the Coast. Copyright copyright copyright.

Amonkhet.

It was hot. Humid. Dry. Dead.

Nissa Revane ground her teeth as she walked the sprawling streets of Amonkhet, passing by children practicing with their sharpened khopeshes. If these child-warriors were not wary enough, one wrong move could be their end.

But that was the point. One of them had to die and death on this plane did not mean the end.

No, it was far more twisted, more sickening and monstrous. It surpassed even the blasphemous capabilities of Liliana Vess.

Here on Amonkhet, it was their sworn duty to serve the Five Gods, from the day these people were born and even after they are struck down, their lives snuffed out of them in one glorious battle for a hollow faith they held so dearly.

Nissa trailed behind the rest of the group, feeling the heat clawing at her throat and squeezing every last drop of essential fluids from her body.

She observed the rest of her entourage. Gideon wasn’t faring any better, his hair stuck to his neck and his chin. Chandra, who had lived most of her life in a desert plane and near lava rivers was fanning herself with her hand. Jace was hidden beneath his cloak, but his constant erratic movement were clear indications that he was feeling uncomfortable.

Liliana was a different matter.

The necromancer was just as immaculate as she had always seemed. No, she wasn’t impervious to the heat. She had reached out to the plane and had conjured herself some loyal undead servants.

Nissa should have been used to it by now. She had seen Liliana use her power. She had seen the necromancer conjure an entire army, raise a few soldiers to defend them from the undead wurm when they had arrived, but there was no getting used to the disruption of the natural order.

When a being dies, they return to the plane, not rise from their graves, in undeath – in **servitude –** to those who abused the cycle.

Nissa wanted to leave this plane. She wanted to be rid of the endless sea of wasteland that stretched beyond the Hekma. She wanted to be far away from the debilitating pull of this twisted plane. Out here, she felt vulnerable and weak and alone.

It didn’t help that a sense of impending doom hung over their head

Today was fruitless. The people of Naktamun were busy with the Trials and nothing more and the nightmares were growing more and more sinister with each passing hour.

Nissa dreaded sleep, but her sore limbs and aching bones had demanded rest. She wasn’t strong enough to stay up for so long and no one even knows if it were day time or not.

They all marched back to their quarters. Gideon had even joined them inside and exchanged words with Jace before slipping out to be one of those warriors, the _crops._ Nissa feared that Amonkhet was swallowing Gideon whole through his faith.

It didn’t help that Jace and Liliana would wander off and whisper in frantic tones. Their whole visit to Amonkhet was under the guise of deceit and secrecy, keeping their plan from Ajani – a leonin who has prove himself a valuable ally to their cause.

It also didn’t help that Chandra had fallen asleep minutes ago, shuffling under her sheets and inching closer towards Nissa.

Nissa pushed herself up and stared down the lump beside her, snoring blissfully. She looked over to Jace, he too had his head buried beneath his sheets. They each had tried to adapt a semblance of night time, tried to be patient with one another, but Nissa knew the plane was eating at them too.

She tried to get some sleep, or at least closed her eyes and relax. Maybe this time, the nightmares won’t plague her. There was no way of knowing anyway.

Nissa threw the covers over her head and shut her eyes, willing for her body to relax. She felt the minutes tick by, stretching to seem like hours and finally an eternity and she was far more exhausted than she had been.

“Nissa?” a soft voice called from the other side of the rough spun sheet, “You having trouble sleeping again?”

_Again?_

Nissa swallowed hard. The nightmares have been relentless for the last three days. Chandra may have other priorities, but the girl wasn’t entirely oblivious and right now, her concern was more a problem than comfort for Nissa. She didn’t know what to say and she didn’t want to make the others worry.

“It’s bright out.” Nissa whispered back, lying flat on her back and feeling Chandra shift an inch or two away from her. “I miss the darkness of the night. Closing my eyes does not help.”

Chandra said nothing, but she continued shifting about until she sighed. “You get used to it.”

“When?” Nissa giggled bitterly, “After a week of being pushed over the edge of my patience and sanity? We’re not exactly adjusting to a new home, Chandra, we’re here to scout ahead and prepare for doom. We need as much rest as we can get and, frankly, we’re not getting any.”

“I can hear you two!” Jace’s voice grumbled from the other side of the room.

Nissa clamped her mouth shut. Chandra did the same.

She heard the shifting of sheets, but she didn’t feel it coming from the girl next to her. Jace must be repositioning himself after the interruption from his two other roommates. Nissa could feel a pull in what little mana the world had; Jace had cast an illusion around himself.

An eternity flew by and Nissa felt the weight of it all chipping at her soul. Chandra was oddly silent – far too silent and NIssa knew that the girl was awake.

“I’m sorry.” Nissa whispered, “I’m exhausted. This world… is a nightmare.”

“I’m worried about Gideon.” Chandra’s voice cracked and Nissa could hear her own heart break and shatter.

Chandra and Gideon had always been close and it was no secret that the girl harbored a little bit of interest in him. They **did** share history and they seemed comfortable around each other. Many afternoons, Nissa would see Chandra lightly punching Gideon on the shoulder and Gideon patting her on the back.

Then there was that embrace and…

Nissa didn’t want to think about it.

It made all of her previous efforts so _small._ So useless.

“He can take care of himself.” Nissa said calmly, “He is a capable man. He is indestructible. He is –“

“A big softie.” Chandra tried to laugh, but Nissa heard the heartache in her tone, “He’s going to get hurt.”

The silence hung between them, dancing in the eternity that stretched in Nissa’s mind. Then she heard the sheets rustling again and movement from her side; Chandra was moving closer, determined and desperate. Nissa could do nothing but lay still and wait for the warmth to envelope her.

But Chandra’s warmth stopped an inch or two from the tips of her fingers, that void seemed like the coldest point on the entire plane simply because Nissa **wanted** to reach out and hold the hand that was waiting behind their rough barriers but there was a fear that awakened inside her, whispering to stop, not to touch, not to get herself burned.

“This place makes me sick.” Chandra whimpered, still Nissa kept her hand firmly by her side, “This place _is sick._ You work your entire life only to be slaughtered for _what_? To be turned into a zombie under the beck and call of these… priests?”

The warmth was gone as Chandra pulled herself away, rustling sheets and all. The all-too familiar feeling of dread filled the room and seeped into Nissa’s bones, punctuated by the defeat and hopelessness in Chandra’s hushed tone.

“I just… You can’t even end it all or else you’ll end up cleaning up after brats like Temmet.”

Nissa’s breath caught in her throat. She pulled the sheet off of her and stared down the Chandra’s form, lying underneath her own cover. Chandra had turned away from her, facing the opposite direction. She held her hand out… closer and closer yet the chill never dissipated – not even when Nissa’s hand found Chandra’s shoulder.

“Chandra?” Nissa whispered as she leaned closer.

The girl didn’t move, even when Nissa shook her shoulder. There was no danger of being burnt here, just the slow, agonizing grasp of the cold empty space.

“I’m scared.” Chandra sobbed, shaking violently.

Nissa gently propped herself over on Chandra’s bed, her knee pressing into the girl’s back as she leaned closer to try and offer what comfort she could. Chandra adjusted accordingly, moving to accommodate Nissa on the small space.

At least, that was what Nissa hoped and not that Chandra silently conferred she did not want Nissa close.

“I’m scared too.” Nissa tried not to sob. She had to be the strong one.

In truth, Nissa had always been scared. There was never a moment that she wasn’t afraid, that she didn’t feel too small, too weak, too helpless. But she tried to push past that fear. She had a duty and it was far more important than the fears of a lone Joraga.

And Chandra.

Chandra was a flame and the girl understood that flames burnt and left ashes in their wake. That moment, in Kaladesh, in Ghirapur…

_I can’t do this anymore._

_Let me go._

Chandra was a mess then, much like she seemed now, beneath what comfort she found under her sheets and Nissa couldn’t find it in her to let go.

Nissa lowered herself onto the bed, her eyes shut as her memories conjured up the smell of smoke and ash, feeling the heat of Ghirapur instead of the sweltering of Amonkhet. For a moment, she felt her bones begin to ache as she enveloped Chandra in an embrace, much like she had done when Chandra had almost given up.

This has happened before and Nissa knew this was going to happen again.

Nissa pulled her close and felt the girl stiffen beneath her touch. Her sobs had no longer lingered in the air and her breathing was steadying. The two of them said nothing, but the silence didn’t hang over them like an asphyxiating cloud.

Nissa’s heartbeat echoed in her ears, hammering in her chest and she wanted to repeat what she had said to Chandra that day.

No, she wanted to say what she _intended_ to say, what her heart wanted to say, what her mind whispered for her to say, what her entire being was vibrating for her to admit – that she had only told Chandra half of the truth – that Nissa was selfish and Nissa cared so little about everything outside of her embrace.

“There are no stars here.” Nissa whispered against what she believed was Chandra’s ear, “Do you remember?”

For a moment, she wanted to clarify herself. Nissa had spoken about something different, but Chandra had stirred within her arms, pushing her limbs away as the lump tossed and turned about, scratching at the fabric until her head shot out, her red hair a mop of disorder and freedom.

Their eyes met in the near-dimness of what felt like night. No doubt the two suns were still high in the sky. Nissa bit the inside of her cheek as she remembered that the suns were stars and Chandra’s eyes were twinkling like the ones in Zendikar.

“I remember.” Chandra whispered, her cheeks stained with the tears that she had hastily wiped away, “They’re waiting for me, right?”

“Yes.” Nissa brushed red hair away from Chandra’s face, wiped away the remnants of the hopelessness that spilled out of the girl, “There are more outside of this plane and they’re waiting for you to shine.”

Chandra chewed on her lip and inched closer, avoiding Nissa’s gaze as she whispered, “I miss home.”

Nissa’s eyes widened as she took in the longing and the sadness that flickered in Chandra’s eyes. She could have stayed on Kaladesh, reclaimed the life that she had lost and the Gatewatch would release her from the Oath she had taken. She deserved it.

But here she was, gambling her life away, scared, lonely and homesick.

“Do you miss your home?” Chandra whispered as her eyes darted to Nissa’s before she turned to stare at the ceiling.

Nissa thought she felt the comforting embrace of Zendikar envelope her, but it was just the blanket that had fallen from Chandra to her arm.

Bala Ged.

It was a wasteland, somewhat like this plane. There was death and decay everywhere, lattice marks and ash and corpses and lives that had been snuffed out. That was where Nissa had faced the demon Ob Nixilis.

That was where Nissa had first met Chandra.

“Yes.” Nissa whispered as she too stared up at the ceiling, pulling her braid from underneath her, “I miss what it once was… before we met.”

Chandra cocked her head and stared at Nissa. Nissa glanced at her from her periphery and smiled forlornly. Before Chandra could think that she had made another mistake, before the girl could fumble out an apology that she had had ready for any situation, Nissa turned to her side and faced the girl, their faces mere inches apart.

There was no room for the sinister pull of the plane between them. Beneath Chandra’s blanket, they were safe.

“I had lost all hope,” Nissa whispered, her fingers twitched behind her, “before we met. Zendikar was falling apart and whatever plans Jace or Gideon or the other Zendikari came up failed. I had failed.”

Chandra waited and Nissa fought the urge to press her lips against the corner of the girl’s mouth.

“I’m sorry.” Chandra breathed out.

“What for?” Nissa smiled with ease, “Everything turned out for the better after you had arrived.”

“Yeah, but – “

“Zendikar _was_ in ruins.” Nissa nodded solemnly, her finger raised to brush another errant lock of red hair away from the girl’s face, “But Zendikar will recover. Much like you and me. Much like this plane.”

“I don’t know about that.” Chandra smiled widely and Nissa pulled her hand away before she traced her finger along the curve of her lips.

“You’re not alone, Chandra.” Nissa said absentmindedly, her memories melding together, pulling fragments from different planes, different occurrences, different triumphs, different failures and the only constant thing was the girl before her, so spirited and free and beautiful like the first moment she had laid eyes on her.

“You’re not alone either.” Chandra pouted, raising a hand to caress Nissa’s shoulder, “Do you have nightmares… of Zendikar?”

Nissa’s eyes widen in surprise, “Yes. But I have good reams as well… joyful ones… hopeful dreams and a promise to return one day. Maybe then, my home would be what I remember of it and that thought alone is enough to make all this _suffocating_ feeling bearable.”

Chandra scrunched her face in thought as she scooted closer, her knee pressing into Nissa’s and her breath warming her cheeks. There was a determination in Chandra’s face, replaced by curiosity and finally, a smile that Nissa didn’t know she had missed seeing.

“You wouldn’t mind if I came with you, right?” Chandra said aloud, not caring at all if Jace or Liliana or Gideon from the other side of the city could hear her.

Nissa chuckled as she cupped the girl’s face and silenced her with her thumb over her lips, “Someday. After we leave this plane, maybe?”

As Nissa was about to pull her hand away, Chandra slipped hers over them, pressing Nissa’s palm against her cheek, against her lips. There was a certain glimmer in Chandra’s eyes, something Nissa had never seen before and she was not entirely sure if she was burning up or Chandra was regaining all of her fiery selfness.

“Promise?” Chandra whispered and she very much resembled a child.

Nissa nodded as she swallowed the lump in her throat. She very much liked it when Chandra smiled or laughed or burned things in her excitement.

“I’m looking forward to that.” Chandra pulled her hand away and rolled over on her back, staring at the ceiling and pulling her blanket over her chest, “Then we could go to Ghirapur and I’ll finally get to show you around like I promised. The city’s probably done with the repairs by now.”

Nissa missed the warmth of Chandra’s hand and her breath. She rolled over on her back and stared at the ceiling as well, wondering if she should get up and return to her own bed.

The two of them hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep and their conversation had definitely not eased the exhaustion that they both felt from an entire day of walking around Naktamun.

Nissa would have to try to get some sleep. Nightmares be damned, she had a promise to keep.

She got off from Chandra’s bed and steeled herself for a restless sleep when Chandra’s hand shot out of the covers and warmed Nissa’s wrist. Nissa felt herself tumble backwards, her head crashing into the girl’s lip as she groaned.

“Sorry.” Chandra’s voice was muffled by her hands.

“Sorry.” Nissa knelt above Chandra and brushed the girl’s hair away from her face, hoping that her skull hadn’t broken the poor girl’s nose, “Are you bleeding?”

Chandra lowered her hands and pushed herself to look at Nissa. Her nose was red, but Nissa couldn’t see a drop of blood anywhere.

“You wouldn’t mind staying by me, would you?” Chandra grinned.

Nissa blinked and stared and wondered if she had fallen asleep at some point.

“I feel… better when you’re close.” Chandra laughed nervously as she scratched the back of her neck, “And I figured, I could, you know, be close when you get one of those nightmares again. I don’t know. Moral support?”

Nissa still couldn’t formulate words. Chandra had offered to watch over her while she slept. Well, Chandra would sleep too, but how much sleep could the girl get if Nissa would flail about and cry from the nightmares of this undead plane?

She wanted to decline, she wanted to return to her own bed and save Chandra the trouble of putting up with her restlessness. The girl had her own worries and she did not need to share Nissa’s.

“You and me,” Chandra cleared her throat and stared at her lap, “I guess we’re a great team. We can get through this. Together. It’s too much to ask, but can you stay with me?”

Chandra stared at her through her lashes, her lips parted slightly and her breath caught in her throat. Nissa found it hard to breathe and the hammering in her chest was the only thing she could hear.

There was really nothing Nissa wouldn’t do for this girl. So, she nodded and let Chandra pull her onto the mattress.

It was awkward, at first. She found herself unable to close her eyes, enamored by the twinkle in Chandra’s eyes and the freckles that dotted over her nose, a galaxy painted over her skin. Chandra wasn’t making this easier either, staring at Nissa as if they were both waiting for the other to fall asleep.

Seconds turned to minutes that turned into hours that stretched into an eternity that passed in the blink of Chandra’s eyes. Nissa’s thoughts were beginning to play tricks on her and the plane was licking at her heels, making its twisted presence known, held at bay by the warmth of Chandra’s gaze.

At some point, they had fallen asleep, fallen victims to the heavy grasp of fatigue. At some point, their arms circled around each other; Chandra’s head fit perfectly under the crook of Nissa’s chin and Nissa’s lips contented against Chandra’s brow.


End file.
